Looking for an updated list? Feel free to check and compare our 2013 with our 2011 list below:
- Happiest Cities for Young Professionals - 2013
- Top 20 Cities with the Happiest Young Professionals - 2011
CareerBliss data indicate company culture is a bigger driving force of employee satisfaction than compensation.
CareerBliss, the leading online career community empowering people to find happier jobs, with over 3 million open jobs, confidential reviews and salary information on CareerBliss.com, announced the latest data identifying the Top 20 Happiest U.S. Cities for Young Professionals for 2012. Los Angeles, San Jose and Sunnyvale top the list, affirming California leads the way for young professionals looking for workplace happiness.
“Through our research, we have found that a positive company culture, which focuses on overall happiness and not just compensation, is key for young professionals,” said Heidi Golledge, Chief Happiness Officer and co-founder of CareerBliss. “We have cities ranking higher, even though some are paying less because they offer a happier life for employees who chose to live and work there.
“This study reveals what really matters to folks in their career. It is vital for employers and young professionals to understand what factors impact their happiness so the YPs can feel empowered and know where to take their next career step or the employer can start to change their culture to create happiness.”
CareerBliss’ Top 20 Happiest U.S. Cities for Young Professionals for 2012
| Rank | City | Bliss Score |
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | 3.952 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | 3.951 |
| 3 | Sunnyvale, CA | 3.950 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | 3.942 |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | 3.884 |
| 6 | Irvine, CA | 3.866 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | 3.857 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | 3.845 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | 3.833 |
| 10 | San Antonio, TX | 3.828 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | 3.820 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | 3.784 |
| 13 | Irving, TX | 3.783 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | 3.779 |
| 15 | Orlando, FL | 3.763 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | 3.743 |
| 17 | New York, NY | 3.716 |
| 18 | Plano, TX | 3.705 |
| 19 | Miami, FL | 3.679 |
| 20 | Houston, TX | 3.679 |
Methodology used to find the Top 20:
The research results are based on analysis from more than 38,000 employee reviews, completed between 2011 and 2012. Young professionals—defined by CareerBliss as employees with less than 10 years’ experience in a full-time position—were asked to rate 10 key factors that affect workplace happiness including, work-life balance, compensation, company culture, overall work environment, company reputation, relationships with managers and co-workers, opportunities for growth, job resources, daily tasks, and job autonomy.
The key factors were rated by employees on a 5-point scale, including an indication as to how important each factor was to their overall happiness at work. The numbers were combined to find an average rating of overall employee happiness for each respondent, and then sorted by location to find which cities have highest “Bliss Scores”—happiest young workers.
“Everyone at CareerBliss is dedicated to understanding what work environments are happiest for all professionals to help both employers and employees find true lasting success,” said Golledge. “This information can help mold the career path for young professionals and help employers build happier work environments that foster long-term employee relationships.”
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